Carolina Panthers, Frank Reich Appear Done With Miles Sanders 7 Games Into 4-Year Contract

In an offseason where NFL running backs struggled to get paid, former Philadelphia Eagles RB Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. Head coach Frank Reich envisioned a high-level running back helping take heat off No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.

That hasn't happened. Not even close, in fact. Sanders started strong, tallying 98 yards from scrimmage in his first game in Carolina. He hasn't topped 62 since. In Sunday's win over the Houston Texans -- the first this season for the Panthers -- Sanders was an afterthought.

The Carolina Panthers signed Miles Sanders to a four-year contract in the offseason, but head coach Frank Reich might be ready to bench him. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

He received just two carries and gained exactly 0 yards. It's not all his fault, though. Chuba Hubbard saw the bulk of the work, getting 15 caries. However, he turned those runs into fewer than 30 yards. The team's offensive line isn't very good, so it doesn't really matter who's running the ball.

Still, the coaches expect more from Sanders. They did have him on the field during a critical play in Sunday's win, too. Sanders nearly cost the team the win because of it.

What initially appeared as a massive heads-up play from Sanders was later revealed to be a massive mistake.

Bryce Young hit Adam Thielen for a first down on a fourth-and-2 play late in the fourth quarter. Had they not converted, the game could have gone very differently. And it almost did.

As you can see in the replay, Sanders started to try to catch the pass before realizing that he was not Young's intended receiver. He let the ball go past him and Thielen caught it for the conversion.

Even the person who posted it listed it as a "heads-up" play. But, the question was this: why did the Panthers run a play that had two receivers nearly colliding at the catch point?

The answer: they didn't. Miles Sanders ran the wrong route. Frank Reich told the media after the game.

Carolina Panthers, Frank Reich appear done with Miles Sanders

Sanders barely the saw the field in the game and nearly cost the team by running an incorrect route. Everyone can see where this is headed.

Reich talked up Hubbard's "physical, downhill style" while keeping it very vague on Miles Sanders.

"He's a great player" and "we have a lot of confidence in Miles" doesn't smack of actual confidence. If anything, it's the "dreaded vote of confidence" from Reich.

Additionally, they have Tarik Cohen on the practice squad. Because he can make an impact on special teams, Cohen could push Sanders out of the lineup entirely.

That's not great news for other running backs looking to get paid. But it's especially bad news for Miles Sanders, except the part where he got $13 million guaranteed.

The Panthers can take away opportunities, but not that money.